If you receive a judgment in civil court that you are not happy with, you have a right to appeal the judgment. However, this is a decision that you need to make quickly, as you only have 30 days (typically) to request a motion for a new trial or to file a notice of appeal. The appellate system is full of strict time limits and other complex legalities, making it that much more important to speak to an appellate attorney if you disagree with a ruling in your civil court case.

Trials and appeals have some similarities, but are far from the same thing. During a trial, the plaintiff and defendant will present their cases, call on witnesses for testimony and present evidence, including documents, photos, surveys, diaries, schematics, reports and more. After a review of the evidence, the jury will make a determination of the facts of the case, unless the parties have chosen a bench trial, in which case the judge will act as both judge and jury.